Ukraine Parliament Moves To End Gambling In The Country

The Ukraine has tens of thousands of people that are employed by the gambling industry. They all may be out of a job soon thanks to Parliament's most recent decision regarding gambling in the country.

Parliament voted to override a veto from President Victor Yushchenko and move forward with a law that would temporarily ban gambling in the Ukraine. The move was triggered by an arson fire that killed nine people in Dnipropetrovsk.

Parliament, which is usually split on issues, seems unified in their attempt to fix the gambling situation in the country. They have vowed to overhaul the industry, with tighter regulations.

"Gambling will not exist in Ukraine," said Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, "Ukraine will live patiently, spiritually, morally. And I am convinced it will be good for the Ukraine people."

One of the goals of the government is to move existing gambling halls to regions that are hurting economically. Business owners are concerned about having to move, claiming they will not have enough customers to survive.

"We can't operate in a bare field. Entire cities need to be built. But during the economic downturn, who is going to invest?" said Ihor Kulyk, President of the gambling chain, Extrema-Ukraine, "Look at Russia! They had two and a half years , but none of the entertainment zones is ready to function and none will work in Ukraine either."